A New Resource for Local History

The heritage society has published a comprehensive guide to the town's historic buildings and landmarks. Two years in the making, this Heritage Buildings Guide maps over sixty notable structures, from medieval churches to Victorian workshops. It is designed for residents and visitors alike who want to understand the stories written into our streetscape. The guide includes opening times where relevant, detailed architectural notes, and a rich collection of memories from former residents. It is available as a printed booklet and a digital download, and it fills a gap that many have long felt: a single, reliable reference for our local built heritage.

What You'll Find Inside

The guide is organised into five categories, making it easy to dip in and out. Each entry gives a clear location, a summary of architectural interest, and practical visiting information. Opening times are listed for buildings that welcome the public, such as places of worship and the old town hall. Private homes are included for their exterior interest only, with a polite reminder to respect residents' privacy. Alongside the facts, you will find architectural notes that help you spot distinctive features: a Georgian fanlight, a timber-framed gable, or a Victorian terracotta plaque. Here are a few examples of what to look out for:

• The Old Corn Exchange – built in 1852, its Italianate tower once housed a clock that kept market traders in order. Architectural note: the stone brackets beneath the eaves are carved with wheat sheaves.
• St Mary's Church – Norman origins, with a thirteenth-century chancel arch. Opening times: daily, 9am to 4pm. Story: a former chorister recalls the bell that rang for the end of the market.
• The Railway Tavern – a railway hotel from the 1840s, now a pub. Architectural note: the cast-iron veranda is a rare survivor. Opening times: check with the pub, but the exterior is always viewable.
• Providence Chapel – a nonconformist chapel of 1811, with a simple classical frontage. Story: a resident who lived next door remembers the Sunday school outings.

Stories from Former Residents

What lifts this guide above a dry inventory is the oral history woven throughout. Volunteers recorded over forty interviews with people who grew up in the area or lived in these buildings. Their memories bring the fabric of the town to life. For example, one woman described how her grandmother worked as a live-in maid at a large Georgian house on the market square, and how the servants used a hidden staircase to avoid the family. Another resident recalled the smell of malt from the old brewery that once stood where the car park now is. These personal stories are printed alongside the architectural details, so you can stand before a building and imagine the lives that filled it. The guide also includes a short section on lost buildings – those demolished in the name of progress – which serves as a gentle reminder of what we have lost and what we must protect.

Practical Tips for Exploring

Using the guide is straightforward, but a few tips will help you get the most from it. First, check opening times before you travel, as they can change with the seasons or for special events. Second, wear comfortable shoes – the town centre is compact, but some of the outlying hamlets are a good walk apart. Third, remember that many buildings are private homes; admire from the pavement, and never enter a garden without permission. Fourth, take photographs, but be mindful of people's privacy. Finally, the guide suggests three walking routes: a one-hour town centre loop, a two-hour river and canal walk, and a half-day circuit that takes in the old workhouse and the railway cottages. Each route has a clear map and a list of facilities, such as benches and cafés, along the way.

How to Get Your Copy and Get Involved

The guide costs £6.50 for the printed booklet, or £3 for the digital version, and is available from the local library, the tourist information centre, and the heritage society's monthly market stall. All proceeds go back into further research and conservation projects. If you have a memory to share, or you would like to volunteer as a researcher or guide, the society holds an open afternoon on the first Saturday of each month at the old schoolroom. The guide is not a static document; the society plans to update it as new information emerges, and a second volume covering the surrounding villages is already in preparation. Whether you are a lifelong resident or a curious newcomer, this guide is an invitation to look again at the familiar streets and see the history hiding in plain sight.